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5 undefeated teams remain as we head into week 4 of the NFL season. I went 9-7 a week ago, bringing my season total to 26-22.

Bye Week: Philadelphia and Green Bay

Thursday Night Football

Dolphins @ Bengals: Miami barely squeaked by the Browns last week, while the Bengals were beat down by the defending champs at home. The Dolphins got a big day from Jarvis Landry, but inconsistency continues to plague Ryan Tannehill, who threw a pick six in the win. Cincinnati got their running game going, but still lost to 1-2 for the first time in five years. After two very good weeks, Andy Dalton couldn’t do much against the Broncos defense. I like the Bengals at home with another good rushing game to get their second win of the season. CINCINNATI WINS

Sunday Morning Football

Colts @ Jaguars: London here they come! Indianapolis got their first win of the season last week, while Jacksonville is still looking for theirs. Andrew Luck has the uncanny ability to turn a bad day into a big day passing the ball, but the Jaguars defense isn’t the problem so far, so he’ll need help. Blake Bortles on the other hand, has been pretty awful for Jacksonville in his third year under center. So what happens this weekend across the pond? Give me a cleaner day from Luck to lift the Colts. INDIANAPOLIS WINS

Sunday 1PM Games

Bills @ Patriots: Three different quarterbacks have started for New England, but that hasn’t stopped the winning. And as for the Bills, they got their first win over a team many think, myself included, are a playoff team destined for a deep run. Both teams got big two-touchdown games out of their number 1 running backs, so look for another day of running the clock. The Patriots have to get through one more week without Tom Brady, and while they’ve done a great job doing so, and are very, very good at home, I’m taking the road team in this one. BUFFALO WINS

Titans @ Texans: It was a very bad week for Houston, who not only lost their Thursday game versus New England 27-0, they learned that JJ Watt re-injured his back and will be out the rest of the year. Tennessee’s week wasn’t much better, as they scored just 10 points in their loss to Oakland. Both teams enter action having scored the same amount of points through 3 games, but of course that’s skewed with the Texans O-fer last weekend. Marcus Mariota and Brock Osweiler have both thrown 4 interceptions so far this season, so whoever can limit mistakes has the edge. A Titans win puts them in a tie for the division early. But I don’t think they get it, because I like the Texans skill position players better. HOUSTON WINS

Lions @ Bears: The Lions are 1-2, but haven’t struggled in the passing game, as Matthew Stafford has found a new weapon in Marvin Jones after Calvin Johnson called it a career in the off-season. The silver lining there for the 0-3 Bears is that their defense has actually done okay against the pass so far this season. Chicago got a pretty good game out of Brandon Hoyer, who finished 30-49 for 317 yards, though most of that came with the game out of hand already. Both teams have the ability to get the points in the air, and with two middling defenses, that shouldn’t be a problem. So this game will be won in the trenches, and the edge there lies with the Lions. DETROIT WINS

Panthers @ Falcons: Carolina is another team I thought would have a great season, but has disappointed so far. Thanks to the struggles of the Panthers and the rest of the NFC South, Atlanta finds themself atop the division early on in the season. This dispite allowing 31, 28 and 32 points in their first three games. The Falcons may not be getting sustained success in their ground game early, they are getting it when it counts. Tevin Coleman has just 110 yards on the ground, but has 4 rushing touchdowns, including 3 on Sunday in New Orleans. Carolina entered action red-hot at home dating back to 2014, but we shut down by a red-hot Vikings defense a week ago. I still believe in the Panthers defense, and as hot as Atlanta has been, I think Carolina gets the win on the road.CAROLINA WINS

Seahawks @ Jets: The good news for Jets fans? Ryan Fitzpatrick can only be better than he was a week ago. The bad news? He has to be a lot better against the top defense in the league. After scoring just 3 points against L.A. in week 2, the Seahawks exercised some demons putting up 37 against the Niners. Russell Wilson was hobbled in the game, but still managed to leave with a nice lead. Big games from Christine Michael and Doug Baldwin helped get the offense back on track. New York can solace in the fact that they have had a pretty good run game all season, and while some of it came in garbage time, Seattle did allow the Niners to get over 130 yards on the ground, finding pay dirt twice. This shouldnt be as ugly for the Jets as it was last week, but it will still be a loss. SEATTLE WINS

Raiders @ Ravens: Baltimore finds itself among the undefeated teams heading into week 4, in large part thanks to their defense and a good day from kicker Justin Tucker. The Ravens are second in total defense through 3 weeks of play. Their opponents won their 2nd game by forcing three turnovers, with a sack after entering week 3 having allowed the Saints and Falcons to walk all over them. So based on defenses, Baltimore should have an easy win. But I actually like Oakland’s offense a lot more, and as someone who thinks this is a playoff team, I’ll take the Raiders in the upset. OAKLAND WINS

Browns @ Redskins: Cleveland should’ve gotten their first win of the season in Miami a week ago, but an inability to stop the air attack, and three missed field goals left them at 0-3. They gave themselves a shot, but couldn’t take it. Cody Kessler’s first career start wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t very good for Cleveland, though at this point, coming out healthy is huge for the Browns. Washington did get their first win, taking down the Giants on the road. After a couple lackluster offensive weeks, Kirk Cousins let it loose and got a number of big plays in the passing game to help get that first win and move back in the right direction to defend their NFC East title. So can the Browns get their first win this week? Yes. Will they? I don’t think so. They stayed in last week thanks to mistakes by Tannehill, but Cousins won’t make those same mistakes. WASHINGTON WINS

Sunday 4/425PM Games

Broncos @ Buccaneers: The Superbowl Champs are showing no signs of slowing down as they look to start the season 4-0. Denver got off to a slow start last week against the Bengals, but came on strong late thanks to a big day from rookie quarterback Trevor Siemian. Siemian threw four touchdown passes, including two in the fourth quarter for the win. Not to be outdone, the Broncos are a top flight defense that held down Andy Dalton and their rushing attack. They’ve got another tough test when they take on Jameis Winston this weekend. The Bucs 2nd year quarterback is tied for the league lead in touchdown passes so far with 8, though he has thrown six picks to. It won’t be a blowout, none of Denver’s games really have been, but it will be another win for the Broncos. DENVER WINS

Rams @ Cardinals: I’m shocked at the start the Cardinals are having at just 1-2. Carson Palmer has had a bad TD-turnover ratio through 3 weeks. Arizona isn’t getting quite out of David Johnson on the ground, while their defense is allowing the 5th most rushing yards per game. This is as good a week as any to get back to what they want to do in all phases as they take on their division rival Rams, who find themselves tied atop the division at 2-1. Los Angeles has rebounded nicely from a shutout on opening day, winning their last two games. The Rams tend to play up or down to their opponents, evident by a 9-3 home win over Seattle and a 37-32 shootout on the road in Tampa Bay. Going off those results, I’ll take the Cardinals at home in what should be a close game throughout between these two West foes. ARIZONA WINS

Cowboys @ Niners: Dallas couldn’t have asked for more from rookies Dak Prescott and Ezekiel Elliot through three weeks. The Tony Romo-less Cowboys were a game-winning field-goal away from being 3-0 right now. Dez Bryant has a hairline fracture in his knee but is still expected to play this weekend. San Francisco was manhandled in week 3, and still isn’t making a change back to Colin Kaepernick. The biggest thing the Niners have going for them is Carlos Hyde has looked pretty good. I like what the Caowboys have done this season, but I have a feeling about San Fran this week. It might be a bad feeling, but I’m rolling with it.SAN FRANCISCO WINS

Saints @ Chargers: It’s still early, but the Saints need to start picking up some wins quickly if they want to make the playoffs as I predicted they would as a wildcard team in the NFC. The offense hasn’t been the problem. Drew Brees is already over a 1,000 yards passing, with an 8-1 touchdown to interception ratio, though that one interception last week was a fourth quarter pick six for Brees. New Orleans defense hasn’t been been able to stop anyone, as they’ve allowed the 2nd most total yards. Worst at stopping the run, that’s where the Chargers will need to take advantage this week. But without Danny Woodhead, San Diego needs Melvin Gordon to get going, so this is the perfect opportunity for that. I like Philip Rivers, but I like Drew Brees more. Give me the road team to get win number 1 this week. NEW ORLEANS WINS

Sunday Night Football

Chiefs @ Steelers: What a defensive performance put on by the Chiefs this past week! Two defensive touchdowns and six interceptions helped Kansas City get the easy win over the Jets. The offense wasn’t great, but they didn’t need to be with that showing on defense. Alex Smith continued to show his game management skills, and why Travis Kelce is one of the better tight ends in the league right now. They’ve got a desperate Steelers team thsi week, who didn’t score a touchdown in a week 3 beatdown by the Eagles. After two very good weeks, DeAngelo Williams was stymied on the ground, so the rushing attack will gladly welcome back Le’Veon Bell from suspension this week. The biggest test for the Kansas City defense will be stopping Antonio Brown, but I don’t think it will matter much even if he does have a big day. KANSAS CITY WINS

Monday Night Football

Giants @ Vikings: This should be a battle of two unbeatens, but a late game collapse left the Giants at 2-1 heading into today. Too many penalties, a couple late turnovers and allowing Washington to open up the field multiple times led to the home loss for New York. They lost Shane Vereen to a triceps injury as well. Eli Manning and company need to do more in the passing game, and they have the capability with three wide receivers. The bad news for New York is that the Vikings are running on all cylinders right now. Their defense has been relentless through three weeks, and despite losing starting QB Teddy Bridgewater before the season started, the offense has been very good. Sam Bradford has come in and fit in better in two weeks then he’s done in the first few seasons of his career. It’s going to be tough for the Giants on the road, but I like New York will figure things out and get back in the win column. NEW YORK WINS

We’ve reached week 3 of the season, and still have 8 undefeated and 8 winless teams. There have also been a lot of big injuries early that will have a big impact on week 3 and beyond. As for my picks, I’m 18-14 through 2 weeks. Here’s what I’m thinking going into week 3.

Thursday Night Football

Texans @ Patriots: Jimmy Garoppolo left with a shoulder injury for New England, who still managed to move to 2-0. This was thanks in large part to Garoppolo’s 3 touchdown passes before his injury as well as a big performance from LeGarrett Blount in the run game. The Texans took down the Chiefs on the strength of their defense to move to 1-1, a stark difference from their 33-0 loss to Kansas City in the playoffs. Without Garoppolo, I think the Texans will do enough to get another win to start off the week 3 action. HOUSTON WINS

Sunday 1pm Games

Ravens @ Jaguars: Baltimore got very lucky in week 2, as they overcame a 20-0 1st quarter deficit to improve to 2-0. Cleveland never scored again, while Joe Flacco brought his team back with a 25-45, 302 yard performance. Their opponents have been disappointing to me so far. While I didn’t think the Jaguars were going to make the playoffs this season, I thought they’d be better than they’ve shown, starting 0-2 again after They crossed midfield only six times and committed three turnovers. BALTIMORE WINS

Lions @ Packers: Both teams enter 1-1 after losing in week 2, and are looking to keep pace with the 2-0 Vikings. The Packers lost their game in the 4th quarter, turning the ball over twice, while allowing Rodgers to be sacked 5 times. Detroit also lost their game in the 4th quarter when they were outscored 13-0 by the Titans, including a 93-yard game winning drive. The Lions didn’t have a go to back in week 2, losing Ameer Abdullah to an injury. So who gets back in the win column this week? I’ll take the Packers at home with a much-needed big day from Eddie Lacy. GREEN BAY WINS

Redskins @ Giants: Washington won the NFC East a year ago, but have opened up this season 0-2. Struggles in the red zone and an inability to force turnovers meant a loss in a back-and-forth affair with Dallas last week. New York’s offense moved up and down the field pretty easily on Sunday, but also struggled in the redzone, and had too many turnovers in the 1st half. But the defense and special teams stepped up and they moved to 2-0. So who takes this division matchup? Give me the home team to get over their redzone struggles and take advantage of Eli Manning’s league leading completion percentage, which should be even better as the Giants receiving core dropped at least 5 balls in week 2. NEW YORK WINS

Browns @ Dolphins: For the 5th week in a row (dating back to last season), Cleveland will be starting a different QB. Someone should tell them this isn’t baseball, there’s no starting rotation in football. Even with the QB carousel, the Browns almost, and should have, pulled out their first win in week 2. They were up 20-2 on the Ravens, thanks in big part to their ground attack, but fell late. Miami isn’t in any better a position than their week 3 opponents, as they enter action at 0-2 as well. The Dolphins were down big early to the Pats, but made a comeback after Jimmy Garoppolo went down with an injury. Cleveland will be in this game until the end because Miami has had issues stopping the run early. But even of Isaiah Crowell goes big on the ground, I still think they pull out the win at home. MIAMI WINS

Vikings @ Panthers: Minnesota will now be without their starting QB and running back for the rest of the season after Adrian Peterson went down in their game on Sunday night. The Vikings defense looked stong against Aaron Rogers in week 2. As for Carolina, they rebounded offensively in week 2, but they still struggled a bit on defense, allowing the Niners to score 27. They’ll be without their running back Jonathan Stewart, but were picked up by Fozzy Whittaker on the ground. Despite the 27 points allowed, I like the Panthers chances of stopping Sam Bradford and the new Vikings weapon and league receiving yards leader Stefon Diggs. CAROLINA WINS

Broncos @ Bengals: Andy Dalton has gotten off to a nice start this season, leading the league with 732 passing yards, so here’s a good test for the Broncos league leading defense. CJ Anderson is having a good start to the season, and we’ve seen the Bengals give up the most rushing yards per game to start the season, so he should be able to help eat a lot of clock for Denver. DENVER WINS

Cardinals @ Bills: Arizona rebounded from a tough week 1 loss by handily beating the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Cardinals led the league in total offense, while the Bills dropped to 0-2 despite putting up 31 points of their own in week 2. Buffalo has let their offensive coordinator go, so they really need this game. Too bad I don’t think they’ll get it. Look for a big game from running back Daniel Johnson. ARIZONA WINS

Raiders @ Titans: Oakland has not been able to stop anyone through two weeks, something I wasn’t expecting, allowing 70 points so far. Tennessee has actually done a very nice job on defense. Both teams are 1-1 heading into this game, but I still like the Raiders better. The Titans offense hasn’t shown the big play ability the Raiders have, so Oakland should be able to hold them down better than they did with New Orleans and Atlanta. OAKLAND WINS

Sunday 4/425pm Games

Rams @ Buccaneers: LA’s defense showed up in week 2, Tampa’s did not. The difference between these two teams is the offense. While the Bucs went from scoring 4 TDs to 1, I feel more confident about their offense than the Rams, who have scored just 9 points in two games. The best chance the Rams have is if their defense can do what it did a week ago, and good game out of Todd Gurley. That being said, I’ll take the home team in this one. TAMPA BAY WINS

49ers @ Seahawks: This is a big (albeit early) NFC West battle between two 1-1 teams. San Francisco followed up a surprise week 1 win with a defensive breakdown against Carolina. Seattle had one of their worst offensive games in this recent stretch of Superbowl quality teams, scoring just a field goal against the L.A. Rams. I can’t see the Seahawks being held down again, especially by the Niners. Russell Wilson should be able to dominate in this one. SEATTLE WINS

Steelers @ Eagles: I never thought this would be a game where both teams have a chance to move to 3-0, but here we are. DeAngelo Williams has been huge for Pittsbrgh in the abscense of Le’Veon Bell, who is out one more week due to suspension. Philadelphia has gotten about as good as you can ever hope to from a rookie quarterback in Carson Wentz, who hasn’t turned the ball over yet. It should be a good game, but I will go with the experience in this one.PITTSBURGH WINS

Jets @ Chiefs: Two teams I picked to make the playoffs in the AFC face off in Kansas City this weekend. New York picked up their first win last week, thanks to the offense. Off-season acquisition Matt Forte finished with 100 yards rushing, and three rushing touchdowns. Eric Decker and Brandon Marshall both finished with 100 receiving yards as well. The Jets defense wasn’t as impressive as it was week 1. The Chiefs hope that’s the case again this week, as they couldn’t get much of anything started against Houston. A lot went right for New York last week, and I can’t see them doing quite that well against Kansas City’s defense as they did against Buffalo. If this were a home game for the Jets I might choose differently, but it’s a home game for the Chiefs, so I’ll go with them this week. KANSAS CITY WINS

Chargers @ Colts: San Diego is 2-0, Indianapolis is 0-2. I really thought that the Colts would be able to do better than they have on defense, but they haven’t. San Diego has looked very good on offense to start this season, Indy has been very up and down. INDIANAPOLIS WINS

Sunday Night Football

Bears @ Cowboys: Chicago is 0-2 despite holding early leads in both week 1 and week 2. And now they’ll be without starting quarterback Jay Cutler due to a thumb injury. Their best hope to beat the Cowboys is to continue limiting the passing game, as the Bears rank 4th in the NFL allowing 224 yards a game. As for Dallas, they picked up their first win thanks to another clean day from Dak Prescott and a big night on the ground. The Boys were already a better team than the Bears before the Cutler injury, so give me Dallas at home to move to 2-1. DALLAS WINS

Monday Night Football

Falcons @ Saints: Atlanta picked up their first win against an impressive Raiders team in week 2, while New Orleans dropped to 0-2 after a game winning field goal by the Giants. Atlanta hasn’t had any problems scoring this season, but their defense has struggled at times. New Orleans’ defense was much better in week 2, forcing 3 turnovers, but it wasn’t enough. I picked the Saints to make the playoffs, so this is a huge game for them. If they want to get their first win, they have to figure out how to run the ball. The Falcons tend to be very inconsistent, so give me New Orleans at home in a shootout. NEW ORLEANS WINS

Steelers @ Ravens: With all the bad press surrounding the Ravens, look for the team on the field to rally together and pick up their first win. Not to mention Pittsburgh was not impressive in their win over the Browns. So give me a defensive struggle ending in a home victory. BALTIMORE WINS

Sunday 1PM Games

Dolphins @ Bills: An AFC match-up of two teams I thought would be 0-1 for, yet here we are, with one team set to move to 2-0. Buffalo’s success hinges on their run game, while the Dolphins pass attack is key. Neither starting quarterback is proven, but right now, give me Ryan Tannehill to lead his squad to a road win, and a perch atop the AFC for another week. MIAMI WINS

Lions @ Panthers: Still no word as to whether the Panthers will have starting QB Cam Newton back. But they’ve shown they can win without him. However, the Detroit Lions looked like a team ready to finally take the next step in week 1. They’re healthy and Matthew Stafford played a smart, mistake free game. I’m thinking Detroit moves to 2-0, even if Newton is healthy and on the field. DETROIT WINS

Falcons @ Bengals: Both teams looked pretty good on Sunday. Matt Ryan had maybe the best game of his career in the come-from-behind win over the Saints, while Andy Dalton looked solid. The difference was the play of the defenses. Sure Atlanta made the plays to win the game, but the Bengals front-seven were on point from the jump against Baltimore. Look for Cincy to get their first of many wins at home.CINCINNATI WINS

Patriots @ Vikings: Sunday was one of the single worst performances I’ve ever seen out of Tom Brady and the Pats. And I don’t think the Vikings are as good as they looked. So what gives? It’s not often New England has two bad games in a row. So as long as Brady is healthy, I’m taking the Patriots.NEW ENGLAND WINS

Saints @ Browns: The offense was great, the defense not so much for New Orleans a week ago. But expect better things at home, where it’s tough for opponents in the Superdome. Cleveland looked good in the 2nd half last week, but are without starting running back Ben Tate, and could be without superstar in the making, tight-end Jordan Cameron. Look out for a big day from wide-out Marques Colston for the Saints following a rare fumble that led to the Falcons game-winner last week. NEW ORLEANS WINS

Cowboys @ Titans: Dallas’ defense looked as good as expected… note the sarcasm. But the real concern is Tony Romo and the offense. There were no positives, and the Titans at home could prove to be too much to handle. Give me another win-less week for the NFC East squad. TENNESSEE WINS

Cardinals @ Giants: This is a tough one. The Cardinals offense wasn’t great in week 1. And the Giants defense, after the 1st quarter, did all it could to keep New York in the game against Detroit. But the G-Men’s offense looked bad and the Cardinals defense could have a field day. I wouldn’t be surprised if New York finds a way at home, but I’m still taking the Cards in this one. ARIZONA WINS

Jaguars @ Redskins: Eventually Washington will win again. But I don’t think it happens this week. Until they figure out how to get RGIII going on the ground again, this offense just isn’t the same as it was a couple years ago. The Jags defense is much improved and their young guys on offense showed something in week 1, despite losing. JACKSONVILLE WINS

Sunday 4:05/4:25PM Games

Seahawks @ Chargers: It would be weird for San Diego to start out 0-2, even after their slow start a year ago. But the Hawks are just too good. I would be very surprised if the reigning champs don’t start 2-0 this year. SEATTLE WINS

Rams @ Buccaneers: Before the season started, I would’ve said this game would be won by the team who makes the fewest mistakes. Two very good defenses, but two teams with new QBs. But the Rams are already in a downfall as they could start their 3rd string quarterback on the road in week 2. So give me a fairly easy victory for the Bucs, who could be 2-0 by weeks end. TAMPA BAY WINS

Chiefs @ Broncos: Kansas City isn’t as bad as they were good last season, so if this weren’t a road game for them, I’d give them a chance in this one. But despite almost blowing a 24-0 lead to Indianapolis, the Broncos are too good at home to pick against. DENVER WINS

Jets @ Packers: New York got a huge boost from the run game in their season opening win. The Packers were blown out by the Seahawks, but they didn’t look horrible doing so. So as good as the Jets defense is, I can’t go against Aaron Rodgers at home here. GREEN BAY WINS

Sunday Night Football

Texans @ Raiders: So JJ Watt is still really good. The Texans offense wasn’t spectacular in week 1, but it didn’t need to be. Oakland was okay on both ends to open up their season on the road. But Houston’s defense is better than the Jets, so despite being around their silver and black faithful, give me Houston to start another season 2-0. HOUSTON WINS

Bears @ 49ers: Chicago lost a heart-breaker in overtime, while the Niners defense had some fun against Dallas to open their seasons. San Fran is going to be near the top of the league all season, so give me them to keep pace with the defending champs and move to 2-0. SAN FRANCISCO WINS

Monday Night Football

Eagles @ Colts: It took a half for both of these teams to wake up from the off-season. Luckily for Philly, they were able to recover for a win, while Indy was facing the AFC Champs. Neither defense showed much in week 1, but at home, Andrew Luck has been great in his young career, so I’m looking for both sides to be 1-1 on the young season by Tuesday morning. INDIANAPOLIS WINS

It’s not often that 1 player goes off for 200+ yards on either the ground or in the receiving game. But this week we saw 3 players have exception games. How about 3 to 4 touchdowns for one player? There were a few of those as well.

NFC EAST (This One’s Going Down to the Wire)

Cowboys: They got off to a slow start, but were able to come back from a 21-7 deficit to maintain their tie atop the division. An opening kick-off fumble by Terrence Williams was returned for a score, putting them down as quick as you can be down. DeMarco Murray was huge in the redzone, scoring 3 rushing touchdowns, adding a number of big catches to help lead the comeback. Tony Romo managed the game well, finishing with 235-passing yards and a touchdown pass to Dez Bryant. Back-up rusher Lance Dunbar added a career-high 82 yards in the ground game. It’s the first time all season Dallas is 2 games over .500. (7-5)

Eagles: Make it 19 touchdown passes with no interceptions for Philly savior Nick Foles. Though he did throw a pick in the game, it didn’t go against him as it was called back on a defensive penalty. No matter what, Foles continued to shine against a very good Arizona defense, throwing 3 touchdown passes for 237-yards in their 4th straight victory. He also set an Eagles record for most passes without an interception (233), breaking Michael Vick’s mark of 224 set in 2010. DeSean Jackson went over the 1,000 yard mark for the season. Rookie receiver Zach Ertz on 2 of his 5 catches on the day. The only concern is this team continues to be shutdown in the 4th quarter, something that gave Arizona multiple chances to steal a win on the road. But the defense held, and the division crown still remains in play.(7-5)

Giants: Big Blue rallied from 14-0 down to at least keep their slim playoff chances alive, thanks in big part to their run game in the red-zone, and their defense. Justin Tuck looked like his old self, racking up a career high 4 sacks, and after a bad start, the defense held the Skins to just 95 2nd half yards. The run game overall wasn’t spectacular, but Andre Brown made his 35-yards count, scoring two touchdowns including the go-ahead score. Eli Manning threw touchdown, and one interception, the Giants lone turnover of the game. They’re the only team with at least 1 turnover in every game this season. (5-7)

Redskins: RG-still-stuck-at-3-wins and company got off to a very hot start Sunday night, but cooled off late. Griffin was 16-for-17 at halftime, but went just 8-for-15 in the second half, and was dropped 5 times. Washington had a chance to go the length of the field in the final minutes to try and tie. But a mix-up by officials with a 1st down being called a second with no measurement, the Skins play calling suffered and ultimately resulted in having to go for it on 4th down, and not converting. The loss officially eliminates them from the playoffs. (3-9)

NFC NORTH (Detroit Puts Some Separation Between Themselves and the Rest of the Division)

Lions: The Thanksgiving Day skid came to an end at 9 thanks to a big day from just about everyone. Matt Stafford got off to a shake start, but he finished with over 300-yards passing, 3 touchdowns and 2 interceptions. Calvin Johnson caught one of those TDs, his 5th straight Turkey day score, as well as his 5th straight game this season. Reggie Bush put an opening drive red-zone fumble behind him, rushing for 117-yards and a score in the rout. The win helps put them in the driver’s seat for the division title. (7-5)

Bears: Matt Forte finished with 120-yards on the ground, and that wasn’t even the best total on the ground in the game, let alone the best from scrimmage total on his team. Rookie wide-out Alshon Jeffery went off for two touchdowns and 249-yards receiving, giving him the two best receiving games in Bears history, ever. The usually sure-footed Robbie Gould wasn’t so on point though, missing 2-of-4 field-goal attempts, including a 47-yard attempt that would’ve won it in overtime.(6-6)

Packers: Matt Flynn “savior” wasn’t to be this week. After a 10-3 start, the Pack were completely shut down by the Lions. The defense did all it could, forcing 3 turnovers, including the early fumble they returned for Green Bay’s lone touchdown of the game. But they couldn’t outplay their quarterback. Flynn threw a pick, lost two fumbles and was sacked in for a safety in the 3rd quarter. The loss doesn’t put them out of contention for a wildcard spot or the division title, with a game against Chicago left. But it does make things harder. Aaron Rodgers could be back in week 14.(5-6-1)

Vikings: Down 20-10 after 3 quarters, 10 unanswered in the 4th forced overtime for the second straight week. The Vikings were 1:43 away from their second straight tie, but a Blair Walsh 34-yarder gave them the win instead. Walsh missed a 57-yarder earlier in overtime but Minnesota was given new life after the Chicago miss. Oh and in case you forgot, Adrian Peterson is really, really good. Peterson ran for 211-yards on 35 carries for a 6-yard-per-attempt average. Christian Ponder went down with an injury early in the game, and Matt Cassel came in and did a good job in his place. Cassel threw 1 touchdown to Greg Jennings, a pick and finished with 243-yards in the air. (3-8-1)

NFC SOUTH (We Have a Battle For 1st Place on our Hands)

Saints: Other than one long drive in the 1st to cut the deficit to 17-7, the Saints offense looked like a shell of themselves. The one touchdown went to Jimmy Graham. Drew Brees was held under 200-yards passing, and the run game was non-existent. Just one turnover, but it was recovered for a touchdown early. Those 7 points scored by New Orleans, according to NFL.com, are the lowest scored by the Saints since Sean Payton became headcoach in 2006. Making things worse, plane troubles kept them in Seattle overnight. (9-3)

Panthers: 8 straight wins and this time around, it was never in doubt. The defense ravaged Tampa’s offense, holding them to just 2 field-goals, recording 5 sacks and forcing two turnovers. Cam Newton did throw 2 picks, but he also threw for 263-yards and two touchdowns to go with 68-yards on the ground and a rushing score. 5 receivers finished with at least 35-yards, with Brian LaFell and Ted Ginn Jr each finding the end-zone. Now they sit tied for 1st, with 2 games to go against New Orleans.(9-3)

Buccaneers: They actually led the Panthers, not for long and not by much, but in a 21-point loss, I guess you take any positives you can find. Mike Glennon has been very good for Tampa, but not this week as Tampa saw their win streak snapped at 3 games. Glennon went on to post 14-21 completions, 180-yards, no touchdowns and an interception in the loss. The defense did all it could, forcing a couple turnovers, but they had no real answer for Newton short of those takeaways. (3-9)

Falcons: It took overtime, but the skid ends at 5 for Atlanta. Steven Jackson had his first multi-touchdown day as a Falcon as a part of an 84-yard rushing performance. Matt Ryan didn’t throw any interceptions, something foreign to him this season, but he did lose one fumble. Ryan was good throwing the rock though, finishing with 311-yards passing and a touchdown pass to Tony Gonzalez. Roddy White had nearly 150-yards receiving. They never led in regulation, and won it thanks toMatt Bryant’s 2nd field-goal of the game in the extra frame.(3-9)

NFC WEST (Seattle Just Continues to Fly Higher)

Seahawks: It was all Seattle early, thanks to a fumble recovery for a score for Michael Bennett, his first careers touchdown. And it stayed Seattle’s night, thanks to Russell Wilson, whose throws we’re on point all game long. The 2nd year quarterback threw for 310-yards, 3 touchdowns and added another 47-yards on the ground. The defense was huge against a potent Saints offense, holding them to under 50-yards rushing and Brees to under 200-yards passing, a rare feat.Home field throughout the playoffs looks way more likely now with a 2-game lead over the rest of the NFC. (11-1)

49ers: There was a big time Anquan Boldin sighting in week 13, as the wide-out caught 9 passes for 98-yards. Tight-end Vernon Davis added an athletic leap over a defender, 82-yards and a score to San Fran’s 10-point division win. Colin Kaepernick threw for nearly 300-yards and a score. 3 Phil Dawson field-goals and a Frank Gore rushing touchdown was the rest of the niners offense as they put a game between themselves and Arizona. They never trailed, and currently hold the 6th and final playoff spot in the NFC. (8-4)

Cardinals: They put themselves in a 21-7 hole early, and they were never able to fully recover. Carson Palmer threw 3 touchdown passes, but also threw 2 interceptions, as well as lost a fumble. Those 3 turnovers proved costly in a 3-point game. Rashard Mendenhall had one of his better games of the year, picking up 79-yards on the ground, but it wasn’t enough. Michael Floyd came up just short of the 100-yard receiving mark, while Larry Fitzgerald added another 72 in the passing game. Both scored touchdowns. The loss hurts drops them back in the hunt for a wildcard spot, but they still have a better shot than most.(7-5)

Rams: They did a decent job of holding down the 49ers early, but the offense couldn’t do much against San Fran. Kellen Clemens finished with over 200-yards passing, a touchdown and an interception, while Zac Stacy gained 72 on the ground. But drives stalled, and they had to settle for field-goals rather than touchdowns on 2 of them. They are still much improved over last season, but with 3 teams to jump in their own division, the playoffs aren’t realistic. (5-7)

AFC EAST (It’s Still The Pats Division)

Patriots: They won, but I wouldn’t be too proud of myself if I was a Patriots player after Sunday’s performance Down 17-7 at the half to a 2 win Houston team, they needed a big 2nd half to save themselves from a bad loss. The game saw 5 lead changes as Tom Brady finished with 371-yards passing, 2 touchdowns and an interception. Both Rob Gronkowski and Julian Edelman finished with over 100-yards receiving. LeGarrett Blount added a score in the run game. But they couldn’t stop the run in the red-zone, allowing 4 rushing touchdowns. They rallied again, but the defense was suspect and their run game wasn’t great.(9-3)

Dolphins: Ryan Tannehill finished the must-win game completing 28-of-43 passes for 331-yards, 2 touchdowns and an interception. 4 players combined for over 120-yards on the ground, including 22 from Tannehill. The defense took advantage of a down New York offense, holding them to just 3-points. Brian Hartline and Mike Wallace combined for over 200-yards and 2 scores while 3 Caleb Strugis field-goals book-ended the scoring for Miami, who keeps playoff hopes alive. (6-6)

Jets: Well, they’re in a free-fall now. Geno Smith hasn’t thrown a touchdown pass since before the World Series began, and was finally benched in favor of Matt Simms. not that it made a difference. Smith went 4-for-10 for 29-yards with an INT before being replaced by Simms, who completed 50% of his passes for 79-yards, a fumble lost and a pick. The only offense New York could muster was a 2nd half Nick Folk field-goal. After not winning or losing 2 straight, the Jets are now on 3-game losing streak, and see their playoff hopes die with each loss. (5-7)

Bills: They had their chance to win in regulation on a possible game winning drive, but a lost fumble ended those hopes, and they eventually fell in overtime. It was a good day for the running backs, with CJ Spiller nearing the 150-yard mark, while Fred Jackson scored a rushing and receiving touchdown. But a couple lost fumbles, and their defense’s inability to stop Atlanta, meant disaster. (4-8)

AFC NORTH (The Ravens are Trying to Fly Back into the Race)

Bengals: Andy Dalton’s 190-yards passing put him over 3,000 for the season, making him just the second quarterback in NFL history to throw for at least 3,000 in each of his first 3 seasons. Peyton Manning is the other. Ben Jarvis Green-Ellis had one of his better games of the season, picking up 92-yards and finding the end-zone for the games first score. The defense showed up big time, forcing 3 turnovers, and 2 sacks to help maintain their 2 game division lead.(8-4)

Ravens: It was close throughout on Thanksgiving night, but Baltimore held on in the end, stopping Pittsburgh on a late 2-point conversion to hold on and keep playoff hopes alive. It was a first quarter Joe Flacco to Torrey Smith 7-yard touchdown pass that put Baltimore up for good. And then it was the Justin Tucker, who continues to have a monster season, hitting on all 5 of his field-goal attempts. (6-6)

Steelers: Jerricho Cotchery’s 1-yard touchdown catch with a minute left in regulation looked like it might force overtime, but a failed 2-point conversion meant a loss. The Steelers couldn’t recover from an early 13-0 deficit, despite 73-yards and a rushing touchdown by Le’Veon Bell. Ben Roethlisberger did everything he could to help lead his team to a comeback win on Thanksgiving, throwing for over 250-yards, 2 touchdowns and no turnovers. But the road win and a .500 record wasn’t to be.(5-7)

Browns: Cleveland scored a touchdown in every quarter, but it wasn’t enough as they allowed a late score to Jacksonville. The loss spoiled a historic effort from wide-receiver Josh Gordon, whose team record 261-receiving-yards made him the first player in NFL history to have back-to-back 200-yard receiving games. Gordon also had 2 touchdowns, including one late in the 4th that looked like it might be the game-winner. Brandon Weedon had a very up and down day in his return to the starting lineup. He threw for 370 and 3 scores, but also threw two picks, lost a fumble and took a 4th quarter safety. The loss brings their losing streak to 3 games. (4-8)

AFC South (Indy on the Verge of Wrapping This One Up)

Colts: 1 more win, another Titans loss, or a tie would give them the AFC South crown thanks to their 8-point victory over Tennessee. It wasn’t an impressive win for the offense, but sometimes you have to win ugly. Adam Vinatieri continues to show why he’s one of the best kickers to ever play the game, hitting all 5 of his field-goal attempts, including a go-ahead 49-yarder in the 3rd quarter. Andrew Luck struggled again, finishing with just 200-yards passing, no touchdowns and an interception. Donald Brown’s touchdown run in the 4th sealed the victory. (8-4)

Titans: They held in there against Indy, even taking a 14-12 lead in the 3rd quarter, but the Colts defense got to Ryan Fitzpatrick. Tennessee’s quarterback finished with 201-yards passing, a touchdown, 54-yards rushing, but 3 interceptions and a fumble loss. Those turnovers helped a struggling Colts offense to set up those 5 Vinatieri field-goals. The loss basically puts them out of range of a division crown, but they are still in the hunt for a wildcard. (5-7)

Jaguars: Dont look now, but the Jags are on a winning streak, and no longer have the worst record in the league. Their 2nd straight win came in comeback fashion, capped off by a 20-yard touchdown pass from Chad Henne to Cecil Shorts with just 40-seconds left in regulation. Maurice Jones-Drew had himself a day, picking up 77-yards on the ground, and throwing an 8-yard touchdown, his first (you know because he’s a runningback). The defense wasn’t great, but they got the win anyway. (3-9)

Texans: Early on, it looked like they might snap their skid, instead the losing streak hit 10 thanks to a 3-point loss to New England. Ben Tate was huge in the red-zone, scoring 3 touchdowns of 20, 10 and 8 yards. Case Keenum added a rushing score of his own, to go along with his 270-yards passing and 1 interception. Andre Johsnon finished with over 100-yards receiving. They put up a good fight against a very good team, but a final game-winning drive stalled and they couldn’t get that 6th lead change for-the-win. (2-10)

AFC WEST (The Chiefs Picked the Wrong Time to Start Losing)

Broncos: They put themselves in a touch position early against a good team, but for the 3rd straight game KC’s defense was lacking, and Peyton Manning took advantage. After 2 early interceptions, Manning went on to throw for 400 yards and 5 touchdown passes. Eric Decker was the beneficiary, registering a career day 174-yards and 4 touchdown passes. Rookie running back Montee Ball added a career high 103-yards on just 4 carries. One concern was the fact that Von Miller went down twice in the game, though he would continue both times. The win all but ensures them the AFC West crown after taking both games of the season series against Kansas City. (10-2)

Chiefs: From 9 wins in a row, to 3 losses in a row. The offense did all it could, picking up over 400-yards of total offense, and going up 21-7 in the 1st half. Add to that a franchise record 108-yard kick-off return touchdown from rookie Knile Davis, and it looked like it might be their day. But the Chiefs defense betrayed them again, allowing Eric Decker to run circles around Champ Bailey all day. They’re lucky the AFC wildcard isn’t as tightly bunched as the NFC, as they have a 3 game lead over the 6th seed, so their playoff dreams are still very much in tact. (9-3)

Chargers: The defense wasn’t the problem, it was the offense against a good Cincinnati squad. Their lone touchdown was scored by tight-end Ladarius Green, in the 2nd quarter. San Diego was held to just 1 field-goal in the 2nd half. Keenan Allen found a way to have another good day, catching 8 Philip Rivers passes for 106-yards. Rivers finished the loss with 252-passing-yards, the Green TD pass, and an interception. This team has been inconsistent all year, and Sunday was just another example of that. (5-7)

Raiders: They returned the opening kick-off fumble for a touchdown. And gave themselves a nice 2-score cushion on Thanksgiving, but the Cowboys are just a better team. After those 21 first half points, they managed just 1 field-goal in the 2nd half. 2nd year wide-out Andre Holmes had a nice game, 5 catches for 136-yards, but that’s where the good days ended. Sure, Rashard Jennings found the end zone twice, but only had 35-yards rushing. Matt McGloin threw a pick, and no touchdowns as a part of his 255-yard passing performance.(4-8)

There you have it. If week 13 wasn’t fun enough for you, week 14 promises to be even more eventful as the playoffs inch closer.

11 down. 6 to go. And playoff races are starting to heat up. The final undefeated has fallen, while leads atop divisions have shrunken, grown and switched hands. Everything you could hope as the days inch closer to the holidays.

2 more teams were off this week: the Cowboys and the Rams.

NFC EAST (The Birds Are All Alone Atop the Division… For Now)

Eagles: A 3rd straight victory snapped a franchise record 10-game home losing streak. Up 17-0 at the halftime break, the defense was able to hold off a 4th quarter comeback. The offense looked great in the 1st half, but only scored once in the 2nd half. Nick Foles used his legs, not his arm, to find the end-zone this week. Philly’s new top gun ran in for a score, while LeSean McCoy did the rest, finding pay-dirt twice on the afternoon. Foles threw no TDs, while continuing his streak of no interceptions in tack as apart of a 298-yard passing day. They became the 8th team in NFL history with at least 2,800 passing yards and 1,600 rushing yards through it’s first 11 games. With Dallas off, Philly takes over sole possession of 1st in the East, but they have already lost once to the Cowboys with another match-up ahead. (6-5)

Cowboys: Bye Week. (5-5)

Giants: 4 straight wins for the Giants, and this was the best all-around game in the stretch. Eli Manning looked as good as he has since week 1 (the part after those 3 interceptions to start the year). The struggling 2-time Superbowl MVP threw a 26-yard touchdown to Ruben Randle in a game where he completed 25 of 35 passes for 279 yards. Running backs Andre Brown and Brandon Jacobs did their thing on the ground, combining for 75 yards and a score. The defense allowed just the 2nd touchdown in their last 18 quarters, and they continued to shut down opposing backs. Up just 7 in the 4th, Jason Pierre-Paul sealed the win with a 24-yard interception return for a touchdown.(4-6)

Redskins: The offense couldn’t do anything right until the 4th quarter. Down 24-0, Robert Griffin III threw TD passes of 62 and 41 yards to Darrel Young and Aldrick Robinson, while converting on both 2-point conversions to get within 8. With one final drive, Griffin drove Washington all the way to the Eagles 18 before a Brandon Boykin interception sealed the loss. Griffin and Alfred Morris combined for 137 yards on the ground, but two RGIII turnovers proved too costly in the end. They’re now alone in last place, with two against the Giants left to be played.(3-7)

NFC NORTH (It’s Crowded at the Top)

Lions: A golden opportunity to at least hold onto their 1 game lead, they got off to a slow start in Pittsburgh and never recovered. They now have company atop the division, though should they end in a tie with Chicago, they hold the tiebreaker. Matt Stafford did become the franchise’s leading passer thanks to his 362-yards passing. And Calvin Johnson put up monster numbers again, with 179 and a score. But much of their damage came in a 27 point 2nd quarter. Detroit was shutout in the 2nd half, while the defense surrendered 4 Steelers touchdowns and 3 field-goals. (6-4)

Bears:A long weather delay gave Chicago new life, leading to an overtime win on the strength of a 38-yard Robbie Gould field-goal. Down 10-0 with 4:51 in the 1st, play was stopped because of tornado warnings. Nearly 2 hours later, play resumed, and the Bears woke up. Josh McCown connected with Matt Forte on his lone TD pass of the day. Forte added 83-yards on the ground to that receiving touchdown. Defensive end David Bass added a score on defense with a 24-yard interception return of Joe Flacco in the 2nd quarter. (6-4)

Packers: Scott Tolzien had a chance to tie in the 4th quarter, but a pick 6 sealed a 3rd straight loss since losing Aaron Rodgers and then Seneca Wallace. Despite nearly 350 yards passing, the team couldn’t recover from Tolzien’s 3 interceptions, including the game sealing pick 6. Rookie running back Eddie Lacy was all but shutdown, managing just 27 rushing yards and a score that turned into nothing more than window dressing. All hope is not lost, with Rodgers back to practice and match-ups against all three division foes left on the schedule.(5-5)

Vikings: Neither Christian Ponder, or Matt Cassel could solve the Seahawks defense, combining for 2 touchdowns, 3 interceptions and a lost fumble on Sunday. Toby Gerhart and not Adrian Peterson led the team in rushing yards, but the 132 combined yards on the ground didn’t help stave off defeat. Just about the only things they did well were to keep it close at half, and limit Lynch everywhere but the redzone. (2-8)

NFC SOUTH (The Saints Keep Marching On)

Saints: It was a defensive struggle in the 2nd half, but 9 points in the 4th gave New Orleans the come-from-behind home victory over San Francisco. Tied late, Marques Colston finished off a record day with a 20-yard catch to set up Garrett Hartley’s 31-yard game winning field goal as time expired. The wide-receiver out of Hofstra finished the day with five catches for 80 yards to become the Saints all-time leader in yards receiving with 7,922. It wasn’t the Saints best day offensively, but it was enough thanks to the play of the defense. 3 sacks and a pick of Colin Kaepernick gave Drew Brees and company enough time to get 3 scoring drives in the 4th. (8-2)

Panthers: Maybe now is the time to start talking about this team as a threat. A 4-point win on Monday night gives them 6 straight, and back-to-back statement wins. Cam Newton threw for 3 touchdowns for the 3rd time this season, something he did only twice his first 2 seasons in the league. He spread the wealth, hitting 3 different receivers for scores, while 3 finished with at least 50-yards receiving. Ted Ginn Jr was the recipient of the game winner with just over a minute to play in regulation. Newton was also the only real threat in the run game, leading the way with 62 on the ground to go with 209 in the air. The defense forced two turnovers, including a Brady INT in the end-zone as time expired. According to the Panthers PR department, they’re the first team since the 1935 Giants to allow 1 or fewer first half touchdowns over their first 10 games of the season.(7-3)

Buccaneers: Don’t look now but the previously win-less Bucs are on a win streak. Waiver wire pick-up Bobby Rainey had himself a day in the place of the injured Doug Martin and Mike James. 162-yards rushing and 2 scores for the 2nd year back out of Western Kentucky. Not to mention a 3rd touchdown catch for Rainey thrown by Mike Glennon, who finished with 231 and two scores on the day. Vincent Jackson had a monster day, grabbing 10 passes for 165 and a touchdown. (2-8)

Falcons: I never thought this team would be at the bottom of the division with all the talent they have, but here they are. They’ve now dropped 4 straight, and according to NFL.com, they’ve been outscored 135-61 in that stretch. Matt Ryan threw 2 touchdowns, but also another 2 interceptions. Harry Douglas had another good game despite being questionable leading up to kick-off, catching 6 passes for 134-yards and a score. The run game was finally decent, but if you can’t stop the run or get stops in the red-zone, you’re not going to win many games. (2-8)

NFC WEST (The Hawks Are Flying Away With It)

Seahawks: Marshawn Lynch didn’t have the monster yardage total he’s accustomed to, but he made his yards count, taking it in for 2 scores, one on the ground and one in the air, in a big win over the Vikings. Russell Wilson didn’t throw it much, but he did complete 13 of 18 for 230 and two touchdowns. It was still a game at the half, but the defense did it’s job in the 2nd half, including a pick 6 to help pull away for good. The win makes them just 1 of 3 teams with just 1 loss, and keeps their 1-game lead for the NFC’s number 1 seed in tact after the Saints win. Not to mention all but locks up the West after the aforementioned New Orleans win over San Francisco. (10-1)

49ers: Make it two straight losses after a 5-game stretched where San Fran looked nearly unbeatable. This team doesn’t blow many leads, but they did just that against the Saints.Colin Kaepernick was sacked 3 times, threw 2 touchdowns and an interception. He nor running back Frank Gore could get much going on the ground. Aaron Brooks had really the only good game on defense, picking off Brees, getting the teams lone sack and forcing a fumble. Now they’re tied for 2nd with Arizona.(6-4)

Cardinals: Nobody is talking about this team, but they are in a fight for a wildcard thanks in large part to their defense. They got off to a slow start in the 1st quarter, but then both sides of the ball dominated the Jaguars for the rest of the way. Carson Palmer threw for 419 yards and two scores and no picks for the first time all year. Receiver Michael Floyd finished with a career-high 193 yards receiving, including a 91-yard touchdown.(6-4)

Rams: Bye Week. (4-6)

AFC EAST (The Pats Maintain a Decent Lead)

Patriots: They were down 10 early, but rallied back to take the lead in the 4th, but it wasn’t enough. Tom Brady threw for just 1 touchdown, and didn’t get the help he needed from his run game. He had a shot with 4-seconds left from his own 18, but his final throw was picked off in the end-zone. Controversy struck when a flag for what New England thought would be defensive holding was picked up. Brady was visibly upset with the refs as the teams took the field to shake hands. Whether or not the call should’ve been made, the Patriots were once again shutdown by a top flight defense. Lucky for them the Jets didn’t close the gap.(7-3)

Jets: They’re consistently inconsistent. According to NFL.com, they’re the first team to alternate wins and losses the first 10 games of the season. Geno Smith looked like a rookie on the road today, with 2 turnovers in the 1st half alone. Things got worse when he was benched in favor of Matt Simms. Down 20-0 at the half, they could never make a threat on the Bills. Chris Ivory had really the only good day, falling just short of a 100 yards on the ground to go with a score. (5-5)

Dolphins: This needed a win for many reasons, and they battled til the end to get one. Their first since the bully scandal broke, Ryan Tannehill led his team to victory. The 2nd year quarterback threw for 268 yards, including a 39-yard score to tight-end Charles Clay to break a 10-10 tie in the third. Miami also managed 104 yards rushing behind a makeshift offensive line. (5-5)

Bills: EJ Manuel led his team to their 1st win in 3 weeks. Manuel was on point, completing 20 of 28 passes for 245 and 2 scores. The run game didn’t come into play much, but the way the defense stepped up, they didn’t need help on the ground. Jarius Byrd forced two of the Jets 4 turnovers, while Da’Norris Searcy returned his interception for a score. The two teams split the season series, each winning at home. (4-7)

AFC NORTH (The Bengals Pounce, Give Themselves A Big Cushion)

Bengals: Nothing like 31 unanswered 2nd quarter points (the largest output in a quarter in team history) to put a bad start behind you. After losing two straight games in overtime, a rout was what this team needed to get back on track. Andy Dalton shook off a bad start that saw two of his passes picked off in the 1st quarter, one returned for a score, to put them down 13-0 quick. But he came back to throw 3 scores, but on just 93 yards passing. It was a good all around game, with both the defense and special teams finding the end-zone, with a fumble recovery and a blocked punt for a score. (7-4)

Steelers: Don’t look now but they’re technically not in last place anymore after a very slow start to the season. Big Ben and company had their most impressive day on offense. Ben Roethlisberger threw for 367 yards, 4 touchdowns and no turnovers. Add 3 more field-goals for Shaun Suisham and it’s pretty easy to see why this team held off the Lions. (4-6)

Browns: They jumped out to a quick 13-0 score. But then they fell apart on both offense and defense, and you can’t do that against a hungry team like Cincinnati. Jason Campbell threw 3 interceptions, Chris Ogbonnaya lost a fumble and their special teams allowed a score. And despite creating a couple of turnovers of their own, they couldn’t get any real pressure on Dalton. (4-6)

Ravens: Justin Tucker’s 21-yard field goal forced over-time, but it wasn’t enough to save them from the loss. Baltimore jumped out to a quick 10-point lead thanks to a 1-yard Ray Rice touchdown run, and a Tucker 52-yard field goal in the 1st half. But then the weather delay happened. Rice finished with his best total of the season, 131 yards and that score. Joe Flacco ended with 162-yards passing, a touchdown and two interceptions, one of which was returned for 6. It was a golden opportunity to move into a better spot for a possible wild card spot, instead they fall 3 games back of the division lead.(4-6)

AFC South (Indy All But Has This Things Wrapped Up)

Colts: A slow start wasn’t enough to hand Indy their second straight loss, which would’ve been a first in the Chuck Pagano era. Andrew Luck and company woke up in the 3rd quarter to rally from a 17-6 half-time deficit and get their 7th win. The Colts got some much-needed help from Donald Brown, who ran in for two scores for the first time in his career. Luck added an 11-yard scamper of his own. Tight-end Coby Fleener had a career high 8 catches for 107 yards. (7-3)

Titans: Things looked good early, when Chris Johnson’s 30-yard and 7-yard touchdown runs in the 1st quarter put the Colts’ backs against the wall early. But if you can’t turn over the Colts, or stop the run in the red zone, you’re in trouble. Ryan Fitzpatrick had a good day in place of the injured Jake Locker, completing 22 of 28 passes for 222 yards and a touchdown. But it wasn’t enough in the end. They started off the season well, but have taken a turn for the worse as they’re losers of 2 straight and 5 of their last 6.(4-6)

Texans: Make it 8 straight losses. Two early turnovers including Case Keenum’s first career interception gave the Raiders two quick drives from their own 16. Oakland scored on both turnovers and put Houston down 14-0 in the 1st. But 17 unanswered points capped by a career-long 51-yard field goal by Randy Bullock had them up at the half. Down 21-17 in the 3rd, Houston decided to remove a healthy Keenum for Matt Schaub, who hadn’t seen action since he went down in week 6. (2-8)

Jaguars: They jumped out quick, but it wasn’t enough as they were shutoutthrough the final 3 quarters. They scored a touchdown (2 in fact) for the first time at home all season. Maurice Jones-Drew only finished with 23 yards rushing on 14 carries, but he did have one of the two Jacksonville scores.Chad Henne threw two picks, one touchdown. The defense sacked Carson Palmer 3 times, but was unable to turn the Cardinals over. (1-9)

AFC WEST (December is Going to Be Fun in the West)

Broncos: In the biggest game of the week, Denver put up the most points on KC of any opponent. Peyton Manning wasn’t sharp, but the run game was huge in the red zone, while the defense did their best Chiefs impression, with a number of impressive stops and takeaways. Manning extended his record for 300 yard passing games to 81, but threw just one touchdown and lost a fumble in the process. Rookie running back Montee Ball had his best game of the season, capitalizing in the red zone by finding the endzone twice. A huge reason for the good run game was the offensive line, which prevented a sack-happy defense from touching Manning all night. They hold the end in the division, for now. Their 2nd match-up comes in 2 weeks in KC. (9-1)

Chiefs: Alex Smith threw for 230 yards and two touchdowns as his team suffered their first loss of the season. They were in the game the whole night, but couldn’t find a way to get over the hump. Dwayne Bowe had a 57-yards receiving and a` touchdown in a game he could have been out for days after being arrested for speeding and marijuana possession. The defense held down the potent Broncos defense for the most part, but it was still almost 15 points more than their opponents average. Jaamal Charles had a good day on the ground, running for 78 at 4.9 yards a carry. (9-1)

Raiders: Matt McGloin made quite the impression in his first NFL start. 3 touchdowns (2 of which came on turnovers) and no interceptions for the former Penn State QB. Rashad Jennings continues to make Oakland fans ask Darren McFadden who? with 150 yards and a rushing touchdown to help get his team their 4th win. The defense forced 3 turnovers, and held late with a goal-line stand in the final seconds to stop the Texans comeback attempt. The win ensures they finish with a better win total than a year ago. (4-6)

Chargers: Forever the inconsistent team are these Chargers. San Diego could only muster one touchdown, coming in the 1st quarter to fall for the 3rd straight game. They stayed in the game til the end thanks to 3 Nick Novak field goals. But their possible game winning drive ended with an incomplete pass in the end zone. Philip Rivers fell just short of 300 yards passing, with a touchdown and an interception. Ryan Matthews was able to get back over 100 yards rushing, but was unable to find the end zone. (4-6)

10 down. 7 to go. No more win-less teams, and just the 1 undefeated team left as week 10 wrapped up.

A number of quarterbacks went down, while many crazy, circus catches were made. Long story short, this week was fun.

4 teams were off this week: the Patriots, the Jets, the Chiefs and the Browns.

NFC EAST (The Eagles Have Flown Into a Tie for First)

Cowboys: A week after winning despite not running the ball, Dallas went run early and often. DeMarco Murray had 80 yards rushing and a touchdown at the half. But they abandoned the run in the 2nd half, Murray finished with just 89 yards and Tony Romo couldn’t pick up the slack. Dallas’ QB completed less than 50% of his passes, and threw just 1 touchdown pass. Injuries continue to come on to key members on defense, this time to linebacker Sean Lee. All of those injuries are showing themselves, with this defense allowing the most yards in a 10 game span in franchise history. They continue to be up and down, and now it has cost them sole possession of 1st place. (5-5)

Eagles: Nick Foles was never going to put up 7 touchdown passes for a second straight week, but Philly’s QB did enough to get a second straight win. Foles threw for 228 yards and 3 scores. And how about this stat: just the 3rd QB to throw at least 16TDs before their first interception of the season. The other two: Milt Plum in 1960, and Peyton Manning earlier this season. LeSean McCoy had a monster day on the ground, rushing for 155 yards, while Riley Cooper added two 3rd quarter touchdowns to help Philadelphia pull away. (5-5)

Giants: Make it 3 straight in the win column for New York.The special teams put them down with an opening kickoff fumble which was then turned into 7. Then they got it back with a blocked punt for a score, New York’s first since 1988. Then normal scoring took place. Andre Brown returned from a fractured leg suffered in pre-season, and looked like his old self. Speaking of a guy who’s done big things coming off a big injury, Terrell Thomas was named NFC Defensive Player of the week after week 8, and he made his presence felt in the 3rd quarter this week. A 47-yard interception return helped the Giants find the end zone on a Brown run and take a lead they wouldn’t relinquish. Going back to before the injury suffered late last year, it gives the back a rushing TD in 6 straight games. Eli Manning survived his 3rd pick six of the season. (3-6)

Redskins: It’s hard to lose a game when you don’t turn the ball over, but that’s what happened on the road to start week 10. Alfred Morris had a good day on the ground, while Robert Griffin III threw 3 touchdowns, but it wasn’t enough. They had a shot to tie at the end 4th quarter, but Santana Moss couldn’t get his second foot in bounds on a pass in the corner of the end zone on fourth down. Washington was 3-6 last season when they went on a 7-0 run to steal the Division and get into the playoffs. (3-6)

NFC NORTH (And Just Like That the Pack Aren’t Leading the Pack)

Lions: Make it a season sweep of their division rivals from Chicago, thanks in large part to a stop on a two-point conversion with 40 seconds left in regulation.Calvin Johnson’s two touchdowns moved into first for the most TD receptions in Lions history. Matthew Stafford completed just over 50% of his passes, but still managed to throw for 3 scores. Reggie Bush had 89 of his 105 yards rushing in the 2nd half to help Detroit move into a tie for 1st. (6-3)

Bears: Jay Cutler wasn’t very sharp in his return from a groin injury, throwing for just 1 touchdown and 1 interception. To make matters worse, he left the game with an ankle injury. Brandon Marshall benefited from having Cutler back, grabbing that one score in a 139 yard day. Alshon Jeffery also had over 100 yards receiving on the day. But other than that, no one else really contributed on offense, with Matt Forte gaining just 33 yards on 17 carries. The defense didn’t do a good job stopping the run or getting to Stafford.(5-4)

Packers: They lost Aaron Rodgers last week, then lost backup Seneca Wallace in the 1st quarter this week around.This team had been able to find ways to score after losing many big targets in the passing game, but it’s hard to win when you get down to your 3rd string QB, especially as fast as this team did. Third year QB Scott Tolzien came in and threw two interceptions. The defense couldn’t help out, allowing the Eagles to run all over them. Mason Crosby continues to struggle kicking the ball, missing two of his four field-goal attempts. Eddie Lacy did a good decent on the ground, while Jarrett Boykin went over 100 yards receiving. (5-4)

Vikings: Christian Ponder went down late, but not before he helped lead his team to their first win since week 3 against Pittsburgh. After an early interception, Ponder settled down to throw 2 touchdowns, before leaving with a left shoulder injury late in the 3rd quarter. Adrian Peterson with a second straight big week, with 2 touchdowns on 75 yards rushing. Tight-end John Carlson with the big day in the receiving game, grabbing 7 balls for 98 yards and a score. The defense did enough to hold off the Skins in the end. (2-7)

NFC SOUTH (Things Are Getting Interesting)

Saints: After a bad road loss in week 9, a big bounce back moved them to 5-0 at home.Receiver Marques Colston and running back Darren Sproles both returned from injury and made their impact felt immediately, with a combined 3 touchdowns in the 1st half.Drew Brees was on point all night, and finished with nearly 400 yards passing and 4 touchdowns. Colston, Pierre Thomas and Mark Ingram (career high 145 yards rushing) each finished with over 100 total yards. Rookie Kenny Stills, Ingram and Thomas each found the end-zone as well. New Orleans finished with 600-plus total yards on offense, and their 40 first downs set an NFL record. (7-2)

Panthers: This team is for real. Make it 5 straight wins after absolutely dominating last years NFC Superbowl representatives, the San Francisco 49ers. The league’s only defense ranked top 10 in the rush and pass, as well as points allowed, showed they’re not there by accident. DeAngelo Williams scored the games only touchdown, while Graham Gano’s 53-yard field goal in the 4th proved to be the game-winner. Cam Newton didn’t do much against a good niners defense. Luke Kuechly continue to have a good year defensively, with a game high 11-tackles and one of the teams 5 sacks.(6-3)

Falcons: They’re just not the same team this season. Matt Ryan finally figured out how to avoid the turnovers, something to take away from a turnover happy Seattle defense. But he couldn’t even reach the 180 yards passing mark to go with no run game. Not to mention the defense had no answers for the Seahawks. It’s their 3rd straight loss, putting them two losses away from their first losing season since 2007 or pre-Ryan.(2-7)

Buccaneers: Watching the Jaguars get their first win must have inspired Tampa Bay. They saw their 15-7 halftime lead evaporate heading into the 4th quarter, but their defense pitched a final quarter shutout to give the offense a chance. Mike Glennon led the team on a long drive to start the 4th, and it ended with a 1-yard touchdown pass to tackle Donald Penn. The run defense was on point to say the least… holding the Dolphins to just 2 yards on the ground, a staggering number. The defense added a safety 2 key sacks and a pick to their impressive night. (1-8)

NFC WEST (The Hawks Are Flying High)

Seahawks: After two straight shaky wins, there was nothing shaky this week against Atlanta. Marshawn Lynch continues to live up to the nickname “beastmode” after a averaging 6 yards a carry, finishing with 145 and a rushing touchdown. Russell Wilson threw connected with Golden Tate on a one-handed grab in the corner of the end-zone as a part of his 2 touchdown day. It was a rematch of a 2012 playoff game, a match-up won by Atlanta. How quickly things change. (9-1)

49ers: Colin Kaepernick couldn’t get anything going against a stout Panthers defense. The mobile QB couldn’t crack 100 yards passing, and only gained 16 yards on the ground. His one interception iced the victory for Carolina. Phil Dawson was the only offense, kicking 3 field goals, including a season high 53-yarder. Frank Gore ran for 82 yards, while Mario Manningham caught 3 passes for 30 yards in his season debut. (6-3)

Cardinals: They almost gave it away, but held on to move match their win total from a year ago. The Cards took a quick 7-nothing lead when on the game’s first play John Abraham caused a fumble and Matt Shaugnessy returned it 6 yards for the score. Carson Palmer threw 2 touchdowns, but also threw a pick and lost a fumble. It was Rashard Mendenhall’s fumble deep in their own territory that allowed the Texans to stay in the game, but in the end the defense held. (5-4)

Rams: Snapping a 3 game losing streak was due to a big defensive performance, and this time they got a lot of help on offense as well. Tavon Austin had just two catches, but he made them both count; 138 yards and two scores. Add a 98-yard punt return for a touchdown, and the rookie helped blow out the previously 6-2 Indianapolis Colts. 3 interceptions of Andrew Luck, to go with a strip sack, helped St Louis make easy work and pick up their first win since losing Sam Bradford. (4-6)

AFC EAST (The Two Best Teams Didn’t Play)

Patriots: Bye Week. (7-2)

Jets: Bye Week. (5-4)

Dolphins: They got off to a slow start, but were able to rally back to score 19 unanswered points to hold a lead heading into the 4th over a win-less bucs team. But it wasn’t enough as they couldn’t get anything done in the 4th, losing by 3. Ryan Tannehill threw two touchdown passes and Caleb Strugis hit on two field-goal attempts in the comeback effort. Their biggest problem came on the ground, with the team managing just 2 measly yards on the ground all night. In their first game since the bully scandal really blew up, they sure did miss their offensive linemen. The loss drops them further back from the top two teams, with a match-up with the Jets upcoming. (4-5)

Bills: EJ Manuel’s return wasn’t a good one. After coming back from an MCL injury, the rookie only managed 155 passing yards, a score and a turnover. He couldn’t help himself out on the ground, and the rest of the backs didn’t do much against a Steelers defense that needed to bounce back after a horrible week 9 performance. Rookie tight-end Chris Gragg scored the Bills lone touchdown in the 4th quarter. Make it 3 straight losses for the East’s bottom-dwellers. (3-7)

AFC NORTH (Cincy Falters, Still Holds a 2 Game Lead)

Bengals: Andy Dalton connected on a crazy tipped hail mary touchdown as time expired to AJ Green to send the game to overtime. Green finished with a 151 yards receiving thanks to that 51-yard TD catch. But a questionable play call on 4th and 2 in their territory gave Baltimore good field position, and they ultimately lost on a field-goal. Dalton threw 2 touchdowns, but also threw 3 interceptions in their 2nd straight loss.(6-4)

Browns: Bye Week. (4-5)

Ravens:Justin Tucker’s 46-yard field-goal in overtime saved Baltimore from a crushing loss at home, and snapped their 3 game skid. They blew a 17-0 halftime lead when they didn’t bat down the Bengals hail mary attempt. The run game continues to be non-existent, while Joe Flacco continues to under perform. Sure he threw two touchdown passes, to Torrey Smith and Dallas Clark, but he also threw two interceptions, and fumbled in the fourth. They found a way to win, a division game at that, and that’s all that matters for the Superbowl Champs.(4-5)

Steelers: After a franchise low on defense a week ago, the Steelers stepped up and made easy work the Bills. They held Buffalo to just 95 yards on the ground, nearly 50 below their average while giving up just 10 points, after 55 a week ago. Add 3 sacks and a pick to their defensive effort. Ben Roethlisberger wasn’t great, passing for just 204, a touchdown and an interception, while Le’Veon Bell added 52 and a score on the ground. But they did enough for the home win. Shaun Suisham added 3 field-goals. According to ESPN stats, Pittsburgh is now 17-2, including the playoffs, against rookie quarterbacks since 2004.(3-6)

AFC South (The Jags Won and the Colts Didn’t- Fact)

Colts: Talk about a letdown. Andrew Luck threw 3 interceptions, and lost a fumble, and still managed to throw for over 350 yards. And when your not mobile quarter back leads the team in rushing, you know you’re in trouble. This team doesn’t lose often, let alone this badly and at home, but an improved Rams defense and bad special teams play burned them. Their lone score came in the 3rd quarter, a Donald Brown score, capped off with a 2-point conversion to Coby Fleener. Their 30-point loss was the largest margin of any game this week. Lucky for them the Titans lost, so they still hold a 2 game lead in the division.(6-3)

Titans: Jake Locker just can’t stay healthy, leaving with what is probably a season ending lisfranc injury. Ryan Fitzpatrick did a good job in relief, running in for a score and throwing 2 more. But the damage was done early, and Tennessee couldn’t recover against a previously win-less Jaguar team. They had a chance late, but with no help on the ground this week, the win-less Jags took advantage. Four turnovers didn’t help in what ended up a 2-point game.(4-5)

Texans: For the first time in franchise history, Houston is on a 7-game losing streak. A third good start for youngster Case Keenum, but again, it results in a loss. Keenum threw 3 touchdowns, including 2 to Andre Johnson. But he did turn the ball over on the games first play, putting them in the hole from the get go. JJ Watt did all he could to keep his team in the game, forcing two fumbles, including one late in the 4th that helped score and get to within a field-goal of tying the score. Gary Kubiak wasn’t with the team after collapsing at halftime in Indianapolis, but he could be back sooner rather than later after suffering a “mini-stroke.” (2-7)

Jaguars: A 13-game losing streak dating back to last season finally comes to an end, and on the road no less. Maurice Jones-Drew and Jordan Todman each ran in scores, but only combined for 52 yards on the ground. Chad Henne wasn’t good, throwing two picks to no touchdowns. A fourth quarter safety turned out to be the difference in the game.The reason they won, their defense turned the Titans over 4 times.(1-8)

AFC WEST (It Was Always Going to be a 2 Team Race)

Chiefs: Bye Week. (9-0)

Broncos: Peyton Manning threw for 4 touchdowns, 3 to Demaryius Thomas to move within a game of the division lead. Manning took a shot late to his ankles and came up hobbling, and underwent an MRI early Monday. The team was without head coach John Fox, who had heart surgery last week. But it didn’t slow them down. Knowshon Moreno had a big day, with over 100 yards of total offense. Julius Thomas nearly cracked the 100 yard mark, and scored Manning’s fourth TD pass. (8-1)

Chargers: Phil Rivers wasn’t great, throwing for just 218 and a score. It’s a second straight loss by just 1 score, dropping them under .500. Ryan Matthews was better than a week ago on the ground, finding the end zone once, but again didn’t crack the 100 yard mark after two straight games doing so. This team continues to be very streaky, something they can’t afford with arguably the two best teams in the AFC both in their division. (4-5)

Raiders: They scored 17 points off turnovers.You can call Tracy Porter a Manning magnet. The 6th year corner-back is the only player with a pick 6 against both Peyton and Eli Manning. But it was their own turnover late in the 3rd, a Terrelle Pryor interception, that put them down for good. Pryor was pressured all game long, and despite getting passes off early, eventually it got to be too much. Rashard Jennings did all he could do on the ground in place of the injured Darren McFadden, but it wasn’t enough. According to CBS, this was their 9th straight loss to NFC opponents. (3-6)

Two and a half months into the season, and playoff races are starting to heat up.

4 teams have their bye this week: The Jets, Patriots, Browns and Chiefs.

I went from 11-2 in week 8 to 6-7 in week 9. Time to bounce back. Here are my picks for week 10 in the NFL.

Thursday Night Football

Washington @ Minnesota: Last week, the Redskins won by a touchdown in overtime, the Vikings lost by 4 on the road. It was the best Minnesota has looked since their 1 win on the season, while Washington got by on their ability to run in the red zone. Despite a losing streak, I think the Vikings are poised to get back in the win column after getting a big performance from Adrian Peterson. MINNESOTA WINS

1PM Sunday Games

Seattle @ Atlanta: Two straight nail-biters for the Seahawks. Two straight very bad performances by Matt Ryan. Before the season, I thought this would be a game that could mean the difference between a top seed in the NFC. But now it’s just a case of a Hawks team looking to stay ahead in the West, and Atlanta looking for just their 3rd win. The birds from the west will fly higher in this one. SEATTLE WINS

Cincinnati @ Baltimore: Both teams have had problems running the football this season. And both are coming off close losses in week 9. Cincy has been very good defensively this season, while the defending champs have struggled on offense. I think this continues for Baltimore, while Andy Dalton finds a balance between his 4-game win streak self, and turnover prone self from a week ago. CINCINNATI WINS

Detroit @ Chicago: Matt Stafford and MVP candidate Calvin Johnson are well rested, while the Bears are getting back Jay Cutler. The Bears found a way to win Monday night, but that’s in large part due to the injury sustained by Aaron Rodgers. And despite the return of Cutler, I think the win goes to the road team. DETROIT WINS

Philadelphia @ Green Bay: Nick Foles was historically good last week. The Packers lost Rodgers for an indefinite amount of time. But Foles probably won’t be that good again, and with Seneca Wallace getting the 1st team snaps this week and Eddie Lacy running the way he’s been in his rookie year, I’m going out on a limb and taking the home team. GREEN BAY WINS

St. Louis @ Indianapolis: The Rams played a good game on Sunday, but still lost. The Colts weren’t their best for much of their Sunday night game, but still won. The Rams are better than last year, but there’s just something about Andrew Luck and his Colts that I can’t pick against, not at home, and not against St. Louis. INDY WINS

Oakland @ New York: The Giants are winners of their last two and are well rested. And they might have a crowded backfield for the first time all season. The Raiders are coming off a very bad defensive performance, though they did again have a good day on the ground. But New York has figured out how to stop the run of late, and I think they find a way to make it 3 straight. NEW YORK WINS

Buffalo @ Pittsburgh: The Bills have been very up and down, as have the Steelers. Pitt is coming off a historically bad performance on defense, while Buffalo held their own on defense against the leagues lone undefeated team. I know this is a road game for the Bills, but I think their run game finds a way to break loose against a no longer Steel curtain. BUFFALO WINS

Jacksonville @ Tennessee: Jake Locker wasn’t good last week, but the Titans got a lot of help on the ground. The Jaguars are coming off a bye, and are starting to run out of chances to pick up a win. I don’t think this is going to end any differently than Jacksonville’s first 8 games. TENNESSEE WINS

4/4:25PM Sunday Games

Carolina @ San Francisco: This is my favoirte match-up of the week. The Panthers might be the biggest surprise of the year (I know the Chiefs only won 2 games last year but I stand by this statement), while the 49ers picked up where they left off a year ago. Carolina is on a 4 game win streak, while San Fran comes off their bye on a 5-game win streak. I see this being a very low scoring game, won in the trenches. I know the Panthers have been crazy good at stopping the run, but there’s just too much fire power for the niners on the ground. Give me the home team in a one score game. SAN FRANCISCO WINS

Houston @ Arizona: I know, I know. Stop trusting the Texans. They blew a big lead on Sunday, and will be without their head coach for a few weeks. But Case Keenum proved he can lead his team and despite the 2nd half collapse, the defense showed some flashes last week. As for the Cardinals, they are improved over last year, and are well rested coming off a bye. But I still feel the Texans can come away victorious. Watch me regret this. HOUSTON WINS

Denver @ San Diego: A rested Peyton Manning versus an inconsistent Chargers team. Yikes. Manning went into the bye struggling (for him). This could be a shoot out, especially if San Diego gets Ryan Matthews involved again. But I think Manning beats Philip Rivers. DENVER WINS

Sunday Night Football

Dallas @ New Orleans: Both teams can score with the best of them. The Cowboys are coming off a come-from-behind win over the Vikings, while the Saints were shutdown by the Jets. If this game were in Dallas, I might give the edge to the boys, but in the dome, give me the home team. NEW ORLEANS WINS

Monday Night Football

Miami @ Tampa Bay: The Dolphins are mired in the Richie Incognito bullying scandal. The Bucs remain win-less, despite giving the Seattle all they could handle a week ago. I know it’s a home game for Tampa, and they’re due for a win, but Miami is just a better team, with a better quarterback. It’ll be close but give me the road team to close out week 10. MIAMI WINS

The match-ups to get you started and finish you off aren’t necessarily what you’d hope, but it’s still football. So enjoy.